Eighth Grade Ancient History Scholars Take a Field Trip to the Law Court of Babylon!
After studying Hammurabi, the great King of Babylon (1792-1750 B.C.E.), and his society, the scholars read his law code and created skits re-enacting some of the crimes committed. They then received punishments as dictated by the Law Code.
Some of the "big ideas" which they encountered were:
- these laws had to be harsh and include retaliation to stop the cycles of vengeance in the society (an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth)
- many laws were designed to protect women and children in a patriarchal society
- the society required respect for authority (Don't hit your father!) and held citizens accountable for their actions
- sometimes the court had to recognize that some things were uncontrollable
- so many laws about farming and water rights show what was essential in order to survive in a harsh environment
The students have written summary paragraphs analyzing what we can learn about the Babylonian society from these laws.
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